Chapter 23: The Hungry Wolf Charges

The right flank of the enemy camp was ablaze, the flames leaping high into the night sky, fueled by the biting gale as if to set the very heavens on fire.

From the walls of Yanmen Pass, the garrison soldiers caught sight of the inferno raging outside.

"Fire! The enemy camp is on fire!" The officer on night duty rushed to the ramparts in a frenzy, peering out into the darkness. "General! It’s on fire! The enemy camp is truly ablaze!" he shouted, reporting the news to General Sima Xin, the Slayer of Slaves.

General Sima Xin let out a thunderous laugh. "I see it! That lad Zhao Ergou didn't let me down! Open the gates at once and let the cavalry charge!"

"Yes, General!" The officer did not hesitate, sprinting down the ramparts to order the gates thrown open.

The Yinshan cavalry, who had been waiting in formation, surged forward the moment the gates groaned open, shooting out like arrows from a bow. Though only two thousand strong, under the command of General Zhang He, they struck the chaotic enemy camp like a sharp blade.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ergou and his men were wreaking havoc, charging through the enemy lines and setting fires, turning the entire right flank into a scene of utter bedlam. By now, his name would likely be known throughout all of Yanmen Pass.

***

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Deep within the central command tent of the Rongdi, the Left Wise King jolted awake. The air was thick with a deafening roar, the harsh clashing of steel, and piercing screams that sounded like a legion of vengeful spirits, making his skin crawl and his hackles rise.

Seething with rage, he bolted upright, eyes blazing like those of a wounded beast. "What is happening out there?!"

"Re—report to the Left Wise King! The Qin curs are launching a night raid on our camp!" A Rongdi commander scrambled into the tent, his voice hoarse and trembling, his face a mask of terror.

"Incompetent fools! What are you all good for? You couldn't even detect an enemy assault? You’ve brought nothing but shame upon the lands of the Rongdi!" The Left Wise King roared in fury, snatching a goblet from the table and hurling it to the ground, where it shattered, spraying wine everywhere. Still unsatisfied, he kicked over the low table, sending its contents clattering across the floor.

Inside the tent, the other Rongdi commanders stood deathly silent, terrified to even breathe, heads bowed, wishing they could vanish into the earth to escape the King’s wrath. None had expected the Qin to be so cunning—like a pack of starving wolves, they had struck at the most unexpected moment.

"Why are you all standing there like statues? Gather the troops at once and cut those Qin bastards to pieces!" The Left Wise King bellowed, his voice raw as he glowered with unbridled fury.

***

"Yes!" The commanders scrambled out of the tent as if granted a reprieve, fleeing like men running for their lives, silently swearing to tear the audacious Qin soldiers limb from limb to vent their hatred.

*Boom-boom-boom!*

The thunderous rhythm of galloping hooves shattered the silence of the night, echoing like a rolling spring storm and breaking the peace of the Rongdi camp. The very earth seemed to tremble, heralding the carnage to come.

"What is that sound?!" The Left Wise King knit his brows, his voice laced with sudden unease.

"Report to the Left Wise King, it is the Qin cavalry! They are breaking through!" a messenger stammered, his voice high and shrill like a strangled bird, his face pale with dread.

"Stop your panicking! When it comes to cavalry, we of the Rongdi are the masters!" The Left Wise King snatched up his scimitar and strode out of the tent.

"Brothers, follow me! Carve a path of blood and show these Rongdi pups the might of the warriors of Great Qin!" Zhao Ergou swung his spear and let out a heroic roar, charging into the fray.

The Rongdi soldiers before him fell like wheat before a scythe; they could do nothing to halt his advance. His armor and robes were soaked in blood, yet he cared not, fighting with increasing ferocity. His men, infected by his fervor, followed closely behind, as if possessed. This unit was a striking force—under Zhao Ergou’s lead, they were invincible, like a pack of tigers descending from the mountains upon their prey.

Wherever Zhao Ergou went, fire followed, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. Within the camp, the screams and wails of the Rongdi soldiers merged into a tragic symphony of death. Zhao Ergou’s unit moved with such speed that the enemy could not organize an effective defense, leaving them scattered and broken.

Flames licked the sky, thick smoke billowed, and the camp was a cauldron of chaos, filled with the cries of the dying and the relentless ring of steel.

"Help! I don't want to die!"
"Ah... my leg! Someone save me!"

Rongdi soldiers consumed by the fire writhed in agony, their shrill, hair-raising shrieks echoing through the camp.

***

Commander Liu, leading four hundred men, followed closely in Zhao Ergou’s wake, killing and burning as they went. In the heat of the slaughter, they inadvertently became separated from the main group.

"Dammit, brother Ergou moves too fast! We’ve lost him!" Commander Liu cursed in frustration, but his fighting spirit quickly returned. "Men, follow me! Slaughter every one of these Rongdi dogs!" He led his men forward, pushing toward the raging heart of the fires.

***

On the other side of the Rongdi camp, Commander Han and Officer Yang, who were attacking the left and rear, were not having as easy a time as Zhao Ergou.

They had been spotted by a patrol the moment they initiated their charge. A shrill horn blast pierced the night air.

"Damn it, we’ve been discovered! Brothers, with me!" Commander Han roared, taking the lead.

The Rongdi soldiers swarmed out like a disturbed hornet’s nest. A brutal, bloody battle erupted instantly. Though Han and Yang were valiant, their surprise attack had been compromised, and they suffered significant losses. Pinned down by waves of enemy reinforcements, they found it difficult to advance. While they managed to break into the camp and cause some destruction, the scale of their impact paled in comparison to Zhao Ergou’s success.

As for Zhao Ergou, he was having the time of his life, rampaging through the camp, when he stumbled upon an unexpected prize.

"Squad leader! I’ve found the Rongdi supply depot!" a blood-drenched soldier shouted, running excitedly toward Zhao Ergou.

"Hahaha, lead the way! Heaven smiles upon us!" Zhao Ergou’s eyes lit up as if he were looking at a mountain of gold. "This is a golden opportunity! Burn their supplies and see how they swagger after this!"

"Brothers, show these Rongdi whelps what we’re made of! Charge!" Zhao Ergou let out a thunderous roar, lunging forward like a hungry wolf. He felt invincible, his spirit soaring with the flames.